Bullying Vs Protection
by texaskid
Summary: Some say there's a difference between bullying and protection. Kylie never thought so but can a PSA with Carlos and the help of her family change that? *For anti-bullying oneshot day Mar 3, 12


_Here is my oneshot for the Anti-Bullying oneshot day on March 3, 2012. I hope you enjoy. I own nothing but TSN, Jane Thomas, Kylie, and Bacon._

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><p>Bullying. A topic everyone knew about. It had not only been all over the news but in nearly every school across the nation. Protection. The act of protecting another from harm or insult.<p>

Is there a line where protection of one becomes bullying the bully or is protection always beneficial?

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><p>It was a regular, sunny, Wednesday afternoon with the boys playing video games and Kylie working on homework for her business degree, when both Kylie's and Carlos's phones rang. Kylie picked hers up and saw a text message from Kelly calling her to the studio.<p>

Kylie saved her work and closed her computer then grabbed her bag and her puppy and headed out. In the lobby Carlos caught up to her. "Hey, you going to the studio?" Carlos asked.

"Yeah. You?" Kylie asked. Carlos nodded and took Kylie's puppy Bacon. "I'll drive." Kylie said.

At the studio Carlos continued to play with Bacon as they walked into Gustavo's office.

"What's with the puppy?" Gustavo asked.

"You remember Bacon? The sweet Mini Pin that Carlos here named Bacon." Kylie said. "She's still a little jumpy in a house full of guys so I had to bring her. So what's up?" Kylie asked.

"Carlos, Kylie this is Jane Thomas, Anti-bullying campaign manager for TSN, Teen Show Network."

"Home of Seaside High, Witches of Rodeo Drive, Webtacular, and all those other preteen and teen shows?" Kylie asked.

"Yes. We've recently began an Anti-Bullying campaign on TSN and because of your recent success with that two-part episode of Seaside High and Big Time Rush's rise to superstardom we hoped you'd give us a hand."

"That's not the only reason you picked us, is it?" Kylie asked.

"What do you mean?" Jane asked.

"Kylie." Carlos whispered.

"You wanted Carlos and I in particular to do this little spokes piece because you wanted it from the point of view of someone who's been bullied," she nodded to Carlos, "and someone who's done the bullying." Kylie snapped.

"You were never a bully Kylie." Carlos said gently.

"There's a fine line between protection and bullying and I've crossed it several times."

"So they'd back off us." Carlos said. "Kylie, please. You know what it's like to be picked on, that's why this hits home. You know what it's like to see your friends be picked on. You can do this Kylie."

"Fine," Kylie said turning back to Jane and Gustavo, the latter of the two not meeting Kylie's eyes. "You knew about it. Didn't you? That's why you suggested me."

"Kelly heard you talking to the boys." Gustavo said.

"Whatever." Kylie rolled her eyes. "So how is this thing going to work?"

"We've got a couple scripted openers but we mainly want the two of you to talk about what you went through. Also mention ways of preventing it and how to get help." Jane said. Kylie took the packet and read through it.

"I think we can work with this." Kylie said.

"Good we want to start shooting in thirty so why don't you go meet Tanya in the wardrobe area and we'll see you on the set."

"You're shooting here at Rocque Records?" Carlos asked.

"Yes, Studio A," Jane said.

"Come on best friend of mine." Kylie said dragging her best friend out of the office and to a woman standing next a rack of clothes. Twenty minutes later they were both seated in director's style chairs in front a bank of cameras and Bacon was perched on Kylie's lap half asleep.

"Quiet on the set, and Action," The director called.

"Hey guys Kylie Knight here with my sweet puppy Bacon and my good friend—"

"Carlos Garcia from Big Time Rush. Today we want to turn our attention to a topic that nearly everyone has witnessed or be a part of whether willingly or be a victim of." Carlos finished.

"A topic called bullying. As much as I hate to admit this I've done a bit bullying in my past."

"Protection," Carlos corrected.

"I guess. You see Bullying is a tough topic." Kylie said.

"One that even I had to face. I was bullied a lot."

"Being the only Latino kid in our neighborhood kinda caused that."

"True. People called me a lot of dirty names. And it wasn't junior high either, it was elementary school. I faced it in the first grade. But then Kylie stood up for me. She made me understand that being teased and picked on and tormented was an everyday thing I should have to go through. Of course after she took down the school bully she got suspended and they came back just as strong. Until I learned that I could talk to an adult. A school counselor, a teacher, a principal, a coach, or even my parents. They talked to both me and the kids and slowly things got better."

"But sometimes that's not enough. In today's day and age bullying isn't just in the classroom or on the playing field. It's also online and over the phone, it's all around us. Bullying isn't ok, and like I told Carlos all those years ago it's not something you have to put up with. Tell a teacher, any adult you trust. They can help you through it. But the important thing is that you never try to take it on all by yourself. You don't have to. Even if you don't have the close friends that I've had or the close family there is still always someone out there that can help or talk to everyone involved." Kylie said.

"You don't even have to stand up to the bully just walk away. Don't let them get to you." Carlos said.

"I know that's hard to take in and it's easier said than done but just walk away. Go do something else. Get a teacher or an adult someone you can trust. If you're online just sign off. Don't let them continue to pick on you. Sign off or hang up the phone, with all the advanced technology today people don't seem to remember you can just log off. Just say no. Bullies torment because they're insecure about themselves or they fear something and we make it too easy to be picked on. They don't torment the strong kids; they go after the weak ones who aren't going to stand up for themselves—"

"Or even the kids they're jealous of. Some times you just have to believe in yourself and don't let it get to you." Carlos said. "Remember just say no and get someone you trust, there's strength in numbers."

"And cut." The director yelled.

They did a few more takes and finally after five hours Kylie and Carlos were allowed to leave.

"Are you alright?" Carlos asked as he drove back to the Palm Woods and Kylie leaned her head against the window.

"I don't know. It brought up a lot of bad memories." Kylie said.

"You mean like the time you got Billy to stop picking on me because of my accent?" Carlos asked.

"Carlos the only way I could get him to stop was by mercilessly tormenting him." Kylie said. "That made me as bad as he was."

"You did it for protection not because you wanted to torment him."

"There's no difference. Or the time I broke Scott Vander's nose in second grade for making fun of James's haircut."

"And you think that about the time that you pushed the kid who tormented Logan for being a smart southerner?"

"Yes. I am no better than all those bullies."

"Yes you are because you learned from it and you didn't mean to hurt anyone."

"Bullying is wrong no matter what the intent."

"You're not a bully." Carlos said as they entered the apartment. "You stood up to bullies for me, for Kendall, for Logan, for James and if Katie needed it you'd do it for her too. You're not a bully." Carlos stressed taking Kylie by her shoulders.

"You don't actually think that do you Kylie?" Kendall asked walking over to his sister.

"How am I any different?" Kylie asked setting Bacon on the floor. She scampered over to Logan who picked her up and rubbed her back.

"Because bullying does it for no reason. You pick fights because you love us and you're not afraid to stand up for what you believe in. That's what makes you different." Kendall said. Kylie looked at the other boys then walked back to her room.

"You think she'll ever believe us?" James asked.

"I don't know. If she does it's gonna take something huge."

A few hours later...

"I look up to you ya know." Katie said leaning against the doorway.

Kylie looked at her sister and rolled her eyes rolling back onto her stomach. "You shouldn't."

"Why not? Because of what you did in elementary and middle school? I'm proud to be your sister. You never let anyone tear you down. And you always stood up for what you believed in and your friends. You made it look so easy to be confident and not to be picked on."

"Katie."

"I know it wasn't easy and you still doubt yourself. But you're not a bully and I'm proud of you for never giving in." Katie said.

"That doesn't change what I've done." Kylie said.

"Making sure the only Latino kid in our neighborhood never got left out? Having your friends' back when they needed you? Not letting anyone tell you no? Those are things to be proud of Kylie."

"Punching kids? Tormenting them? Picking fights? That makes me a bully." Kylie answered. "Just leave me alone."

Katie sighed but left.

"Kylie, we're taking Katie to dinner. Be back later." Kendall called a while later.

Ten minutes after the door slammed Kylie stood and walked out to the common area. She sat down on a bar stool and looked at her mom who was mixing something.

"Mom. Am I a bully?" Kylie asked softly.

"Of course not sweetheart," Jenn answered not even looking up from her mixing.

"How can you be so sure?" Kylie asked.

Jenn looked up at her daughter and tossed her auburn hair over a shoulder. "Because you love your brothers and you'd do anything to protect them. The only reason you picked on any of those kids was because they started it. Sweetheart they always provoked first. You never touched any kid who hadn't laid a hand on someone else first. Your moves were always retaliatory. Coaches and teachers even said so. I don't advise others to do what you did when it comes to bullies but you had no other choice. You thought it was best at that moment and I don't blame you for it." Jenn sat the bowl down on the counter and walked over to Kylie taking the barstool next to her.

"But—"

Jenn cut her off. "You are a beautiful and talented girl who would do just about anything to protect her friends but you have to stop blaming yourself. You did what you thought was necessary to protect yourself, your brothers, and your friends. There's a difference between protection and bullying and I never want you to confuse the two." Jenn said. "No buts. You're not a bully. You're not malicious, and you're definitely not to blame for anything you did. It taught you something and you learned to adapt. Your father was a bully and you're nothing like him."

"Thanks Mom." Kylie said. It had always been a source of contention between the two that Kylie looked too much like her father and she thought Jenn blamed her but hearing her mom say she was nothing like her father meant the world to Kylie.

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><p><em><strong>There you have it what do you think?<strong>_


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